High Line Celebrates Its One-Year Anniversary

A Year in Pictures
It's been a year! One year ago today, the first section of the High Line opened to the public. The High Line's first year as a public park has been extraordinary, with more than two million visitors from New York and around the world coming to see and experience the park. To reflect upon our first year, we wanted to share with you our favorite photographs.

Celebration Tonight
Please join us tonight for a special talk and reception in the Chelsea Market Passage on the High Line. Peter Mullan, our Vice President of Planning & Design, will present and discuss plans for Section 2. Immediately following Peter's talk, we will host a reception with Appalachian stringband music by Stephanie Coleman, Eamon O'Leary, and Cleek Schrey, and refreshments available from People's Pops. Festivities begin at 6:30 PM. Visit our Events Calendar to learn more.

High Line Merch
We're also offering promotions on items in our Web Shop. Get a code for 50% discount, or win an umbrella by tweeting us your favorite memory with the hash-tag, #highlinebirthday.

Rail Yards ULURP Vote
Our first anniversary is enough cause to celebrate, but today also brings good news on our effort to preserve the High Line at the West Side Rail Yards. We are pleased to announce that the City Planning Commission led by Chair Amanda Burden today voted to approve the City's application to allow it to acquire the High Line at the rail yards.

While there is still much to be done to guarantee the High Line's future at the rail yards, creating the option for the City to acquire this section is a major, positive step toward our ultimate goal: full preservation of the High Line north of 30th Street, including the 10th Avenue Spur, and completion of the High Line all the way to 34th Street.

Today's vote paves the way for the final vote at the City Council. We would like to thank Mayor Michael Bloomberg, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, City Planning Chair Amanda Burden and our supporters who have joined us in advocating for the High Line at the rail yards, including Congressman Jerold Nadler, State Senator Tom Duane, Assembly Member Richard Gottfried, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, and Community Board 4. We look forward to seeing everyone at the City Council in the coming weeks to advocate for the full preservation of this iconic part of New York's industrial history.

Friends of the High Line is grateful to The New York Community Trust — LuEsther T. Mertz Advised Fund and the Greenacre Foundation for their dedicated support to our rail yards advocacy and public programming this year.

Stay Updated

Sign up for the High Line newsletter and receive the latest information first!

Stay Updated

Sign up for the High Line newsletter and receive the latest information first!

Join our mailing list:

Friends of the High Line raises 98% of the High Line’s annual budget.
Owned by the City of New York, the High Line is a public park maintained, operated, and programmed by Friends of the High Line, in partnership with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.